The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1887-10-29
HARS' CHARACTERISTICS.
F,.e. r.nsn B ro ~ n has ~ udie Thew
arc -. Is THE Results OF His Studies.
,Trom he Galveston NswsI

know ne. too, Tor sometimes make pets
ofmrc abs. You no belicvedat. Come,
I sh,v, you." and Leading the reporter to
the q. N of the boat, the Drowned fish
ermar lifted cloth from the stern and
revealed Il small tank, in which several
crabs were swimming around. The
tank had holes bored through the bot
ton, ic+ting in constant supply of fresh
water.
''Now you watch what | do, " said Fish
crInan Brown.
Ee took small stick and beat tattoo
upon the stern of the boat, the while all
dressing the crabs as though they were
human beings, and giving each name.
"Come up, my beauties, there is a gen
tleman come to see you,' lie said, which
was followed by such ordinations as:
'Dort be afraid, the pots not ready
vet, neither is the purchaser" After
each exclamation of this character he
would resume his tattoo vigorously.
Whether it was from the effect of his adj
iuration or from desire of their own
is not known, but the crabs were not
long in needing his invitation, and be-
gar to rise to the surface, and paddle
across from side to side. Now" said
Fisherman Brown, "you see me make n
crab mind" Taking up an ordinary
fishing line with sinker attached, he sus-
pended it over the back of one of the
crabs, and said: "Sink, my hearty, sink"
The crab had been padding laZily
about, but as soon as the voice was
heard il Immediately sank and sent up Il
number of bubbles. This seemed to
please Fisherman Brown to surprising
degree, as he drew in the line and chuck
eled to himself. Presently he picked
up two pieces of milestone polished
smooth on one side, and said that was
for calling the crabs to dinner.
They know the difference in the tat
too and the stone sound said Brown,
"and they come up quickly when they
hear the stones, Just like chickens when
called First taking handful of
shrimp cut into minute pieces, Brown
began to pound the stones together very
vigorously. The stones made harsh
and grating kind of noise, but they caus-
ell great change to take place i'll the
tank. Where moment before all had
been quiet, there WAS now great CON-
motion. The crabs came mp in body,
and snapped and clawed vicioUsly ut
each other i'll their endeavors to get
good position. They would attempt to
climb up the side of the tank, but would
fall back exhausted each time, owing to
the planks being too slippery. Laugh
ing quietly, Fisherman Brown then
threw the handful OF shrimp to his queer
pets, and then It was scene Of evolu-
ton and revolutions i'll the water.
Each crab made grab for a piece OF
shyimp, and general melee ensued.
There was not quite enough to g around,
ord q pitched battle took place in con-
sequence among the hardshell pets. 1t
was a strange thing to look beneath the
water and see two ormOre crabs hacking
away at each other for the possession of
pee Of shrimp. They would ciinch
and rise 70 the surface. bat never let go
unit, tEe shrimp was demolished or one
had gained tho victory 1t would GER
tainly seem that Fisherman Brown had
the cabs pretty wei! trained, but how
he managed TO do this with crabs will re-
main Il mystery.
~ l:cr3 the sane Crabs in there for
one o. av:o weeds" said Brown, ''and l
soon cr.thcm tr';abw M. They know
hot t.lat an IL !l'1H' y Win llt HSS
that l,.@ed them from their domain, or
they might not like me 80 we'll. See"
and he dipped his arm down into the
tank and brought up large crab in his
hand AID strokcd it as though it was
pet bird, and tn. crab, strange to say,
made 10 hostile demonstrations, but sue
cumbel to the caresses with the best
possible grace. Brown said it was n
charm I,.at he exercised upon crabs, and
that thov never attempt 20 bite him I'M
til he transferred then! to strangers
basket.
"Ah, .hc cab is noble animal